


The thing they call a family

by Xernia



Series: Devil prince Ranboo AU [2]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Bonding, Camping, Child Neglect, Gen, I hate it, I hate this part but take it anyways, I made Wilbur way too cruel, Mentioned Eret - Freeform, Wilbur Soot is Floris | Fundy's Parent, Wilbur Soot is a bad parent, Wilbur is actually my favorite, at this point my typo, horrible, just take it, of wilbut is truly true at this point, self projecting, take these scraps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:21:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29013489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xernia/pseuds/Xernia
Summary: “You’re similar to my father, Philza.” He chirps quietly, freezing briefly when Fundy stirred, shifting around. His hand finds his way back into his hair after a moment, “Although, you’re a bit more stupid than him, I guess.”“Wha-” Ranboo starts, looking at Wilbur in disbelief when his cool brown eyes leveled with his. A coy smile plays on his lips, playful even? He can’t tell, it’s late at night. He’s curled up on his own sleeping bag, curled up around his memory book he always carries with him.“You have far too many weaknesses. Honestly, it’s concerning.” He continues, looking down at Fundy with a tender gaze, soft and vulnerable, “People are going to use that against you, you know. You should keep those who you love most at an arm’s distance.”__'Wilbur, will it kill you to give praise or attention?' - A book written by Ranboo, sick and tired of the leader's bullshit.
Relationships: Floris | Fundy & Ranboo, Ranboo & Wilbur Soot
Series: Devil prince Ranboo AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2106168
Comments: 5
Kudos: 99





	The thing they call a family

_“I don’t… feel complete.” Ranboo admits softly, looking down at his white gloved hands. It felt like something was wrong, like something had been ripped from him. He’s standing in front of the garden, looking at the water fountain with a passive stare._

_“I… used to… be able to remember so much…” Ranboo looked down, at the endless notebooks filled with details of every soul he’s ever evaluated. His writing was starting to smudge away in the water. Bad stands from a distance, looking solemnly at the ruined papers and the rushing water._

_He looked sad, almost as if he was expecting it. Like he knew this would happen to him._

_Is that why he warned him to not mess with the timelines?_

_“I used to be… I used to be… I don’t…” Ranboo grabs his head, pulling on the strands as he falls to his knees. He stares wide at his reflection, it smiles sinisterly at him, giving him a short wave, “...remember… I don’t… remember…”_

_He looks at his friend for answers, but all he gets is a firm smile, a sad and resigned one. He knew what happened._

_But he won’t tell him for Ranboo’s own sanity. “It’s complicated”, he warns, “It’s better if you don’t worry about it.”_

_“You can’t remember the past. You forget as soon as they come, and maybe that’s for the best.” Bad says with a gentle manner, resigned to his fate, “You’re happier here, like this - not like the past.”_

_He can’t remember. He can’t keep a memory for more than two weeks before it vanishes. They only stick if he has a strong attachment to them - and even then! They’ll be fuzzy around the edges - it won’t stay._

_Years of festering hatred, of feeling inferior, of taking pride in what he does - all gone in an instant. Ranboo found himself not caring about how his siblings viewed him. How his father viewed him. Hell, he couldn’t even bring himself to care about what his good friend, Bad, felt about him._

_He just wanted to lay down and fall asleep, close his eyes and never wake up again._

_What was the point in worrying about the past when you couldn’t make any new memories?_

__

Ranboo violently snaps out of it when a hand rests on his shoulder. He whips around fast, raising his hand to shield his face - pausing when he sees Wilbur’s bewildered expression staring back at him. He stares at the british man, blinking stupidity like a wild doe in headlights and slowly lowering his arm back down to his side.

“Sorry about that…” Ranboo mumbles, raising a hand to rub the back of his neck, “You startled me, haha.”

Wilbur hums, “Ah yes. Sorry. I didn’t mean to…” He’s still looking at him like he was a wild animal, scared to startle him. He moves gently, taking a step back, “Sorry about that... friend.” That last part was tacked on like an afterthought.

Wilbur Soot stood tall and towering. His intelligent brown eyes always felt like they were prying into him, dissecting every corner of him, despite the fact that he knew that he had good intentions. Even though his intentions were good, it didn’t change the fact that most of this was from the core of his god complex.

The curve of his lips twists into an awkward smile, his eyebrows falling back into a sympathetic look.

_(One of pity.)_

Ranboo nods stiftly, turning away and walking away from him, pretending to be busy as he loads the crate of water onto the wagon. He can feel the leader’s eyes burning holes on the back of his head.

Of course he had to jump when Wilbur Soot, the most undeniably sharp person in L’manberg touched him briefly, probably to tell him something. He was spacing out too much, too lost in his own world, remembering the things in his past than focusing on the future.

Wait, why was he trying to remember? When has that done anything good for him?

“Hey.”

Ranboo screeches unholy, falling back when Fundy’s head pops out from beside him - from behind him. The crate he was holding teeters on falling on him when the orange haired male reaches out to steady it with a firm press of his hand. He looked down at the dual haired male with a guilty grin, a giggle played on his lips, “Sorry, sorry, here.”

He extends a hand, which he takes gratefully.

Fundy draws him in a hug. He’s a lot smaller than him, so he settles him around his chest, “Thanks for this, Ranboo.” He says, muffled in his suit, “I really appreciate you asking Wilbur for the three of us to come hang out together for a camping trip.”

His hand raises, almost about to press his head closer before he realizes where he’s at. It’s not his place, “It’s…” Ranboo smiles down at him, the small kid who just wants his dad’s attention, “It’s no problem at all.”

Fundy takes a step back, giving him one last grin as he skips to busy Wilbur, his step was skipping every time to indicate his joy. The devil prince snickers at him, a warm bubbly chuckle fills his chest, overloading him with this fuzzy feeling of…

Bliss? Happiness?

Ah well. It’s a nice feeling.

__

First day:

Wilbur had forgotten to pack the food so here they were at the rushing river where they could see jumping salmons - flying high above the rushing rapids, though the sharp rocks. Ranboo stood a distance away, holding a thick rope tied to Wilbur and Fundy’s waists. Far away from the water, he watched them warily, ready to jump towards them despite his intense dislike for water.

He disliked water but not enough to lose a life.

This method was actually Wilbur’s. He didn’t think of the idea but he’s still going to help.

“Me and Sally used to do this all the time.” Wilbur explains cooly, fastening the rope onto Fundy’s waist with a triple knot. He loops it over, overkilling it as he starts braiding the rope on him so thickly, he couldn’t even imagine how he’d get swept along the current, “Make sure you’re fastened, okay? I’ll be right here with you, so don’t be scared. Keep a firm grip on-”

“What was Sally like? What did you love about her the most?” Fundy asks, looking down at his father. Wilbur glances up at him swiftly, falling back to tying it tighter, “Wilbur- What was she like?”

Wilbur stands up, turning his face towards the river, “Keep your feet firmly planted onto the mud Use it as a grounding point. And when we’re done, Ranboo can pull us out, yeah?” He looks at the dual-haired male expectantly.

“Y...Yeah.” Ranboo can’t believe his eyes honestly. Blatantly ignoring Fundy’s question to reiterate facts. He could have tried deflecting it with something else. Or changing the subject completely. But he was just ignoring him completely.

Fundy’s grit of his teeth gave away his feeling, his knuckles turned white as he gripped the rope. His small dark eyes felt spiteful, glaring at his shoes, as if those caused that rift.

They caught three large salmons, silently catching them with a spear. The silence was terrible but Wilbur’s straight and bored face was the absolute worst. Ranboo knew he was a working man, but would it kill to at least be okay with this?

He was okay when Ranboo asked, he even seemed excited! Fundy was beyond the moon - but now.

Wilbur couldn’t even look at Fundy for more than a minute.

Why was there a disconnect in the first place?

If Ranboo could figure out the cause, maybe he can try finding the solution? But if he asked him about Sally, there was a chance that Wilbur could close up completely. Shutting everyone out and hiding away. The only one that could probably help him open up was Techno and Philza.

And they were all the way in the arctic.

“Here.” A warm bowl of salmon soup was thrusted to him, Ranboo thanked Wilbur gratefully and looked as Wilbur scoops Fundy a bowl, carefully blowing on it so the steam would go away. He blew it gently until all the steam had vanished. Carefully handing it to Fundy with the utmost care.

Fundy thanks him with a sunny grin, but Wilbur turns to scoop himself a bowl before he can see.

It was clear that Wilbur did care for Fundy, judging on his crayon colored uniform and the actions he does towards him, careful to fasten him up or blow on his food so he doesn't burn his tongue. He was treating him like a baby - but never giving him proper attention.

And Ranboo couldn’t figure out why.

* * *

“How is it being out of this world?” Wilbur leans on his elbows, propped up on his elbows as he mindlessly stroked Fundy’s sleeping orange curls. He’s leaning above his bag, spying at Ranboo with a curious look in his eyes.

“You’re similar to my father, Philza.” He chirps quietly, freezing briefly when Fundy stirred, shifting around. His hand finds his way back into his hair after a moment, “Although, you’re a bit more stupid than him, I guess.”

“Wha-” Ranboo starts, looking at Wilbur in disbelief when his cool brown eyes leveled with his. A coy smile plays on his lips, playful even? He can’t tell, it’s late at night. He’s curled up on his own sleeping bag, curled up around his memory book he always carries with him.

“You have far too many weaknesses. Honestly, it’s concerning.” He continues, looking down at Fundy with a tender gaze, soft and vulnerable, “People are going to use that against you, you know. You should keep those who you love most at an arm’s distance.”

“You have a book to record anything you possibly can forget.” Ranboo’s hands tighten as his throat begins to feel dry. He knew? He just got the book, it’s a brand new book, but he already knew what it was for? 

“You’re easily swayed, if I told you Eret took Tommy’s treasured discs, I bet you’d go question him in concern but still have faith in him, wouldn’t you. You’re afraid of water to the point of freezing entirely just in time for an enemy to stab you. You think this is going to fix me and Fundy’s relationship.” Wilbur chuckles darkly, pulling away from his son, “You think this is going to solve everything.”

“You’re nervous. And I’m sad to say your little plan won’t work.” Wilbur gives him a thin lined smile, pressed down firmly, “As much as I love Fundy and the others, I won’t…” He tilts his head up, looking up at the sky, at the summer stars, “I won’t give in to the idea of ‘friendship’ or ‘happiness.’”

“Where…” Ranboo finds himself asking, “Where did this come from?”

It just seemed out of the blue, for Wilbur to just read him… that well too. It was abnormal and strange - and the leader didn’t even seem fazed or offended. He wasn’t bothered at all in fact - even after calling him weak.

“Mmm.” Wilbur falls down, turning away from the two and facing away from them, “Just thought we should be on the same page. You’re very crafty, I’d admit, but I can read through you. You’re honestly just an open book.”

“T...thanks?” He feels like he was just insulted and praised at the same time.

“You’re a good kid, Ranboo.” He waves one lazy hand in the air, carelessly, “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think you’re shabby. You’re a great asset and fun to keep around. Especially with your honest good-nature intentions. You'd be a horrible leader though. With your wavering morality.”

“...If you know me that well, reading me like that acting like you know what intention I had. Then you should know that this scaring tactic won’t work on me.” Ranboo says in response, his fingers curl around the edges, “You’re scared of losing everyone you love. And I get that! I do, I honestly do!”

Wilbur remains silent.

“I lost my memories. I used to be so good at remembering things. I can’t remember faces or people. I’m scared and maybe I’m not you. But just closing yourself off from everyone is just going to lead to your untimely demise.” Ranboo sighs, sadness seeps into his voice and weighing it down, “It’s the only way. I want to change the future.”

Ranboo slaps a hand over his mouth, sweating at the last thing he said. Ah crap, one of the most important things was to not imply he was from the future, right? It just slipped out - by instinct.

“... Is the future honestly that bad?” Wilbur questions, still facing away from him. “You’re a devil, yeah? Honestly, I had no idea what you were, but from your mannerisms. I could tell that you knew things you shouldn’t know. I thought devils were heartless. They never up come here, you know?”

“... You need to open your heart.” Ranboo warns instead, diverting the attention, although Wilbur wasn’t a man so easily swayed, but it was enough for him to pause.

“You act like it’s easy.” He shoots back just as breezily.

Ranboo sighs tiredly, pinching the bridge of his nose and sinking lower into his bed.

Welp. There goes that plan.

* * *

Day two:

Okay, so he only had this day and the next day to get their relationship better. And Wilbur can apparently tell that the reason why he introduced the idea of camping together - and he wasn’t planning on playing along. 

And now, Wilbur knew that he was from the future thanks to his big mouth.

His whole plan was ruined from the start.

But Wilbur was nonchalant, laying around carelessly like he didn’t just ruin their plan. Like Ranboo and he didn’t even have a conversation late at night as he packs up the fire kindle and water jugs.

Fundy stayed glued to his side, offering to carry the sleeping bags and compasses, trying to get his attention as he prattled about the things he knew about reading a map and red stone. He was trying with a wide grin and a skip in every step.

And Wilbur wasn’t even looking at him, completely ignoring his attempts. Fundy eventually shunk back, watching his father walk ahead and leading them.

“It’s like he’s miles away.” Fundy leans his head on Ranboo’s shoulder, smaller than usual, dragging the bottom part of the rolls on the floor with a vengeful sigh, “I know he cares, but would it kill him to just… just have a conversation with me?”

_(“Listen-! Why can’t we just fix it?!” Ranboo cries out, thrusting the documents to his father. It brushes briefly against his suit and falls in a pile. His father glances down for a moment, brushing past and going towards his other siblings. They wave pleasantly, used to being favored._

_Envious. Anger. Selfish._

_If he reached out, with his hand, would he be noticed too?_

_He sits in a puddle of his hard documents of research, a freckled and sinister face of a murderer looks at him mockingly._

_He shouldn’t have even bothered.)_

“Don’t worry. He’ll turn around soon.” Ranboo lies to him, because he knows it won’t be true. Wilbur was a man of determination, hurt too many times for it to be a liability anymore. He’s already embraced the idea of dying alone and hated. But how can he possibly say that to someone who was trying so hard to get his attention?

He drapes an arm around Fundy, pressing him firmly by his side as he tries to console the boy, the one that was trying his hardest.

It’s like his efforts had amounted to nothing.

There was nothing Ranboo could do, to try to help their relationship if only one side of them was willing to try.

* * *

Day Three:

this is when it gets interesting. After a stoic night with no words exchanged between them, Fundy summons the courage to start yelling at his father. Exhaustion rolls off of the two of them in waves, although Wilbur was the only one with bags under his eyes.

“You can’t expect it to keep being like this!” Fundy cries out in despair, holding his head as he openly sobs at Wilbur, who stared back at him with distaste. Annoyed even.

Ranboo really has no idea what to say.

“If you hate me, then don’t act like you love me! Don’t bother being nice through actions when you can’t even look at me sometimes!”

“Yelling is surely going to get my attention, Fundy.” The leader scolds dully, a prick, he waves his hands around, “Please. It’s unsightly, we have someone with us, the world isn’t just me and you.”

“The whole reason why we planned this trip was for me and you!” He screams back, stepping forward and shoving his father with both of his hands. Wilbur takes a step back, staggering before rising up and staying still at the same spot, “I just want to talk to you, is that too much to ask? I just want you to be there for me… I just want…”

“Well, I don’t want you to be here.” Wilbur replies, sharp as a dagger, as he glowers at his son, “You want me to be honest, Fundy? Fine. I never once wanted you here in the first place."

The air becomes chilly, as Fundy stops suddenly. He looks at him angrily, his eyes brimming with tears. He’s speechless, looking at Wilbur as if he had just said something so horribly concerning. 

That’s awful, how could you say that to your own son?

Wilbur continues, filling the silence with harsh words and violent upbringings, “I wished your mother was still alive so she could have taken care of you. I wish you were never anywhere near me, because I never wanted to take care of a child. I don’t care what you do in the future, Fundy. I didn’t care until now and I hate taking care of you.”

“T-that's...”

“Sorry, did I ask Ranboo?” Wilbur sneers, rolling his eyes as he cocks his head questioningly, “This isn’t some storybook with a happy ending. There’s nothing happy here, this place, this nation isn’t even here for the sake of good natured people, it’s filled with selfish brats and entitled adults who just want a place to live.”

“...I’m selfish? Me? I just want you to notice me! I want you to notice what I’ve done!”

“What you’ve done is just drag me down.” He snaps at him. Fundy’s expression finally drops, tears falling down in waves. He drops to his knees as Wilbur scoffs at the unsightly display. Wilbur walks away, his walls still built so high, too tall for either of them to reach it.

He heads back to L’manberg. Fundy is on the ground, curled up and sobbing. Ranboo stands in the middle of them, watching the high leader walk away and Fundy's smaller form.

And in the heat of the moment, he sees his own father, walking away with his head held high. Back to Tommy. Back to Ranboo’s siblings.

In his place, there’s Fundy, utterly heartbroken as he hugs his knees. Sometimes, he sees his own body there, surrounded by papers.

Only this time, there was someone with him. Ranboo bends down and pulls the younger human to him, pressing his hand against his hair and cradling him, like he was his own child. He hushes him, trying to comfort him. Fundy accepts it, leaning against him and hugging him tight, like a lifeline.

* * *

  * ~~Fundy and Wilbur relationship needs to be repaired. Make bonding time for them. Fishing? No. Maybe sewing? Or cooking? (X)~~



  * Help Tommy be less prideful. It leads to the insecurity of never being enough. This strengthens Dream’s ambition to fulfill his ambitions.



  * Contact Philza and Techno. They can’t be gone for this.



With a defeated sigh, Ranboo crosses out the first line, aware that - this had failed horribly. He hadn’t taken in consideration of Wilbur’s walls and how tall they were. And now, thanks to this oversight, it had only grown taller.

But the thing was, Ranboo knew that Wilbur wasn’t cruel. He still remembers that warm hug he gave when he thought Eret was threatening him and keeping a secret. He clearly cared for Ranboo. And he cared for Fundy, by his actions.

Wilbur was not evil, although he was cruel with his words and actions. He just wanted more distance, he didn’t like keeping attachments. He didn’t like keeping friendships, keeping a distance from everyone.

And that’s why it was so hard getting to know him, since he was never around and actively avoiding everyone under the guise of working to better the nation. 

The devilish prince sighs tiredly.

At this rate, they’ll get nowhere.

**Author's Note:**

> In a short Summary: Fundy Ranboo and Wilbur go camping. Wilbur agrees, going with them. Ranboo was the one who arranged this trip to attempt to get Wilbur and Fundy closer, but Wilbur is smart. He knows Ranboo like an open book, but still thinks he's an alright kid. He knows Ranboo knows the future and despite Ranboo's warning of closing his heart, he continues to do so. Ranboo realizes that his efforts are in vain, because Wilbur is a closely guarded man, to the point where he would spit out cruel words to his son, just to get him further away.
> 
> In the end, Ranboo will be there for Fundy, if Wilbur refuses to be there for him. Because, this is a similar memory for him, when his father left him behind and he watched with pure envy.


End file.
